AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters magic for Phil Mickelson officially ran out on his bid to win a fourth Green Jacket.

Mickelson followed his disappointing second-round 76 with a 77 in the third round yesterday to balloon to 8-over par for the tournament. The 77 matched Mickelson’s worst score in 21 Masters, encompassing 81 rounds.

“It is a beautiful day here … and I just played terrible,’’ Mickelson said. “My play has been beyond terrible, and that’s certainly disappointing. I don’t know what’s going on. It doesn’t feel good. It’s the one event I look forward to more than anything and it’s just kind of heartbreaking to play the way I’ve been playing. I’m disappointed in myself.’’

* So much for Rory McIlroy’s good form entering the Masters. He shot 42 on the back nine, including a triple bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on No. 15, playing his way out of contention with a 79. McIlroy was 3-under and three shots out of the lead through three holes and finished the day 5-over and 12 shots out.

“It’s very disappointing,’’ McIlroy said. “The first six holes I played nearly perfectly.I was only a few off the lead going into the seventh hole and all of a sudden I play seven through 11 in 5-over and basically my chances in the tournament are gone.’’

* Former champion Bernhard Langer, at age 55, is 2-under par and five shots off the lead.

“Amazing,’’ Sergio Garcia said of Langer. “He’s just a fighter. He doesn’t waste any shots out there.’’

Langer, who shot 72 yesterday, said: “I say it’s going to happen that a senior player is going to win a major championship. Tom Watson almost did it [at the British Open]. Fred Couples can do it at any given moment.It’s going to happen sooner or later.’’

Couples, who entered the day at 5-under par, one shot out of the lead, tumbled out of contention with a 77.

* Tianlang Guan, the 14-year-old Chinese amateur sensation, shot 77 yesterday, his highest round of the tournament, to stand at 9-over par. He said after the round he plans to try to qualify for the U.S. Open later this summer.

“It’s been a great week for me,’’ he said, despite the one-shot penalty he was assessed on Friday for slow play. “I learned a lot from the top players. I think I played pretty good rounds these three days.’’

Thorbjorn Olesen, who played with Guan, came away impressed calling him “Unbelievable.’’

“He is a great player,’’ he said. “Every shot he his was almost at the pin and in the right spots. It was impressive to watch. A lot of kids in China must watch and dream that they can be here. It’s good for the game.’’

Olesen said he and Guan were put on the clock on the 15th hole, but said: “I didn’t think he played slow. I think he played quickly, actually. He’s 14 and there’s a big crowd following him, so it’s pretty difficult for him. I think he’s handled it really, really good.’’

* The player who made the biggest early move yesterday was Tim Clark, who shot 31 on the front nine and finished with a 5-under-par 67 to catapult himself into contention at 3-under. … Defending champ Bubba Watson shot his best round of the week yesterday, a 70, after barely making the cut at 4-over on Friday. He has been lamenting his putting all week.